(Untitled)

[duckmole86]

http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/nyregion/31mosque.html
Since there's a good chance at least a few of you can't (or won't) go read the article, the gist of it is that there's a proposed Mosque/cultural center to be built on ground zero (i.e. where the twin towers once stood).

I don't think it's a good idea. That's not

Comments

[lostvirtue]

The proposed mosque isn't on the site, it's just NEAR it. It's a community center and the mosque is supposed to be in a building with lots of other things... http://www.free-press-release.com/news-announcing-park51-a-community-center-for-all-new-york-1279042015.html So now we are banning them building anything with a Muslim within X distance of where the World Trade Center was?

Here's another article: http://www.blogher.com/park-51-if-you-build-it-they-will-learn

"The existing building at 45-47 Park Place in New York City's Lower Manhattan district is the building causing all the commotion these days. It is located a few blocks from Ground Zero and dates back to the late 1850s. A Muslim outreach group the Cordoba Initiative, has been using it for Friday prayers since late last year. The space has been open Monday through Friday between noon and 10 p.m., according to a source familiar with the project. But now plans to reinvent this space have caused quite a frenzy."

This is just more unjustified prejudice against Muslims, and that's coming from someone who doesn't like any religion really. They have the same right to build there as anyone else, and they should be allowed to. This IS the land of the free after all.

[lostvirtue]

Thanks for the corrections--I'd only skimmed the article and then started mouthing off about it.

It is prejudice to give Muslims grief about being in the building they are now or replacing that with a Mosque. And honestly, I have no problem with them being there. I'm with you on not really liking religion, but thinking people have a right to it if they choose. I just worry that the anger and opposition to it now are going to get worse, and that there will come a time in the not too distant future when the Mosque will be vandalized or worse because people continue with their prejudices.

But then, I'm a coward, so I'd build further away in an effort to avoid contention, even if it took more time to find available land, even if it cost more, even if it meant less to me religiously.

[duckmole86]

And that was obviously me.

[njordsifusansoo]

why do I suspect this would be a non-issue if we weren't in the build-up to congressional elections.

[duckmole86]

I'm not sure if it'd be a non-issue, but I doubt it would be getting nearly the press that it is.